Five Times Edo and Ryo Didn't Kiss
by Immicolia
Summary: As the title implies, five non kisses.  Despite how much Edo might want one, even if he won't admit it.
1. Five Times Edo and Ryo Didn't Kiss

i

It's after their first (only) official match. And Edo tells himself that he isn't the type to gloat (except he is, in that quiet, acidic, sort of way) while he lingers just a little bit too long outside of Marufuji's dressing room. Knowing that Saiou is waiting for him out in the limo and that he'll probably get an earful about wasting time like this when Edo has other places to get to. Namely, Duel Academia.

He tells himself that he'll only hang around for another minute or two (even as a small portion of his mind questions why the hell he's hanging around anyway) and then it doesn't matter anymore, because the dressing room door swings open and Marufuji is there. Looking tired and haunted and frustrated and in the end just _glaring_ when he notices Edo standing just outside. Far too polite and restrained to say whatever choice curse words Edo knows he must be thinking (because Edo knows he'd have quite a few in mind if their situations were reversed right now)

They study one another quietly for a moment and Edo's mouth opens. Then shuts. Then opens again. His eyes drawn to the Kaiser's thin lips and the way they are currently set in a tight, hard, line. Any snide comment he'd been about to make evaporating from his mind as he finds himself waiting to see if Marufuji will snap something at him. Wondering if he could goad the squeaky clean Duel Academia grad into cursing a blue streak at him.

Wondering if the hard line of the Kaiser's mouth would soften a little bit if it were pressed against Edo's. Or if it would stay tight and angry and in the end, which way would be better...

The sudden mental image sends a quick flood of heat across Edo's face (and straight to his groin) but he refuses to look away. Meeting Marufuji's gaze steadily until the older boy breaks the eye contact first. Head held high and spine so straight that Edo finds himself with a good half dozen rude comments about having a stick up the ass right on the tip of his tongue.

He still says nothing, though. Just lets Marufuji stalk past.

ii

Gossip in the pro-dueling circuit is akin to a living, breathing, insidiously twisting thing. As such, it doesn't take long for Edo to hear (from a casual acquaintance and occasional opponent) about Kaiser Ryo hitting the absolute bottom.

"He's gone Underground now, you know," the words spoken with the satisfied sneer of someone glad to see a product of hype fall so far. "There's a match this weekend. I bet it'd be worth it just to see how badly he gets his ass beat down there."

Edo tells himself that's why he goes. Because he can't believe that Marufuji Ryo is dueling in the Underground leagues and is morbidly curious just to see how it will turn out. To see that boy in pristine white and blue standing in a filthy dueling ring in a room that smells like sweat and smoke and too much liquor.

It's something Edo has never experienced, but he's heard the stories. About cages and illegal dueling peripherals and people nearly dying (and some that do) and Edo can't imagine the Kaiser down there any more than he can imagine himself. Can't imagine Marufuji coming out unscathed.

So he sits in a back corner, hidden in the dark, and nurses a drink. And another. And another. Unable to take his eyes off the match. Edo not realizing how much he's knocked back until the duel is over (the newly christened Hell Kaiser standing victorious, eyes sharp and cold and wild) and he tries to stand. Wobbling unsteadily the instant he gets to his feet.

That alone should have been an indication that staying in this place any longer was a terrible idea, but Edo is drunk past the point of caring. And the instant he figures out _how_ to get back to where the changing rooms are (which are more like dirty little closets in a foul-smelling hallway) Edo stumbles in that direction. Soon enough finding the one assigned to Marufuji and he stops for a moment outside, thinking about a different dressing room in a shining arena and the hard line of Marufuji Ryo's lips. And what might happen if he lingered outside of _this_ door until Marufuji showed himself. If the Kaiser (_He__l__l_ Kaiser) would snarl and snap and curse him out this time. Or drive a fist into the centre of his face.

Or if he would barely acknowledge Edo at all. Just like last time.

With a muttered curse of, "Fuck it," under his breath, Edo decides not to bother waiting to find out.

iii

Edo hasn't _consciously_ thought about Hell Kaiser Ryo in a while. Having more important issues like Saiou's sudden change, the Association of Light and always, always, the ever burning question of his father's murder taking up the forefront of his mind.

But on some subconscious level he has been following Marufuji's career. Keeping up with the news out of the league and watching Hell Kaiser crawl his way back up out of the gutter. And the instant he heard that Hell Kaiser Ryo had arrived on the island for the Genex tournament Edo _knew_ they would wind up face to face. Sooner or later.

When they do, Edo smiles; cold and brittle and poisonous. Hell Kaiser doesn't, his lips drawn into that same thin line that Edo won't admit he has memorized. The image burned into the back of his brain and some nights (more often than he wants to think about) Edo lies awake picturing it.

The snide remarks come smooth and easy this time. Slick and sharp and _sti__l__l_ Marufuji doesn't react at all. His eyes flat and dead and it's like that first night all over again. Head high, spine straight (although given the gossip Edo has heard, he knows the latter isn't because Marufuji has a stick wedged up his ass now) and all but looking down his nose at Edo. As if the younger boy isn't worth the time or trouble.

And just like that first night, there is a part of Edo that wants to _make_ Hell Kaiser Ryo react. All too aware of a good twenty or so students clustered around watching them. Waiting for the grudge match to break out and Edo wonders what they'd think if he went up on his toes and pressed his lips against that hard, thin mouth.

In the end, it's probably for the best that the younger Marufuji scampers up and throws himself between them. The last thing Edo needs right now is illicit gossip about him.

iv

It should be as uncomfortable as hell, or at the very least marginally awkward. Or that's what Edo tells himself.

Except it isn't. Edo sipping idly at some sludgy coffee (that has probably been sitting in the pot for a good twelve hours since most of the people bustling around are too busy and distracted to bother freshening it) and standing shoulder to shoulder with the Hell Kaiser. Waiting. For something to happen. For an indication that this insane plan has either failed or succeeded. For one of the I2 techs to bring up the fact that this is all madness and that the school (and everyone in it) is more than likely lost forever. Anything to break the tense, wary silence that has fallen over everyone in the makeshift camp.

At one point Edo suggests to Marufuji (with an icy smile) that they could duel to pass the time. That statement earning him a withering glance that Edo knows is intended to cow him into silence and Edo's frozen smile turns just that much more poisonous at the sight.

Edo tells himself that he's keeping quiet now because he chooses to. Not to keep Hell Kaiser happy. Deciding to prove that point to himself as he flashes that snide grin again and asks, "So why haven't you left yet? Hell, why did you agree to this at all? Are you all worried about your old schoolmates?"

"No." The word flat and cold and Marufuji doesn't even endeavour to _look_ at Edo as he utters it.

"Not even the little brother?"

A beat. Marufuji shooting the briefest glance (glare) in Edo's direction before he spits, "No," again and the slightest knowing smile curves at the edge of Edo's lips at the reaction.

"Then why are you here?"

"I came for the same reason you probably did. To duel and win. Unless _you're_ worried about everyone. After all, you're still here too. You could have left the instant you were told they didn't need you."

Edo shrugs. "More morbidly curious than worried, really." Knowing that even as he says it that he's lying on some level. "I want to see how this all turns out."

Marufuji says nothing. Simply _looks_ at Edo, the hard line of his mouth twisting into cruel, mocking sneer. Silently calling Edo a liar.

Edo closes his eyes and takes another sip of bitter coffee. Anything to avoid looking at those lips.

v

It's their third night lost in this insane dueling world (or at least, Edo is fairly certain it's night given that the sky is always the same bruised shade of violet as early twilight, simply darkening a bit more at times) and the cave Hell Kaiser found to take shelter in is cramped. Cramped and chilly and there's a rock digging into Edo's side no matter how much he shimmies and twists in an attempt to avoid it.

Marufuji is glaring at him. Looking about ready to choke Edo if that would make him sit still (since every time Edo moves in an attempt to get comfortable he winds up kicking Marufuji in the shin) and Edo glares right back. Because he's tired and hungry and absolutely filthy and in the end would cheerfully slit Hell Kaiser Ryo's throat for a soft bed, a decent meal and a hot shower.

He gets the feeling that it's mutual.

Eventually he gives up and shifts his body just a little closer to Marufuji's. Something Edo pointedly avoided doing but that rock jabbing him in the ribs is driving him mad and of _course_ as soon as he rolls over the other way (far too close to Hell Kaiser's imposing form) there's relief. Settling in with a sigh and all ready to attempt to sleep when Marufuji growls at him, "So are you finished twitching around like you have fleas now?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if we _get_ fleas off these damn cloaks," Edo mutters back. Opening his eyes again and finding that the Hell Kaiser's face is far too close to his own. "They itch like hell."

Marufuji smiles. A soft, vaguely amused expression without a hint of mockery or cruelty and despite himself, Edo smiles back. Because things could be worse, he could be alone in all of this. Which, despite how generally solitary Edo is (and how even more solitary he knows Hell Kaiser is) in the end would be maddening, and potentially deadly.

They lie there in the dark for a while. Bodies pressed close and listening to the night noises when Edo suddenly, softly, murmurs, "Ryo?" surprising them both with such a familiar use of Marufuji's name. Not that the older boy comments on it, simply letting out a small hum in reply to indicate that he's listening.

"Do you think we're going to die here?"

"It's possible," Ryo murmurs back after a moment. His voice low and harsh next to Edo's ear and Edo frowns, looking Ryo in the eye.

"You know, you _could_ lie to me."

Ryo smirks, and this time it _is_ cruel and a little bit vicious. Sneering, "You're not the type to crave a comforting lie any more than I am." The hard, thin, line of Ryo's lips so close that all Edo has to do is move his head forward an inch (if that) for them to touch and Edo lies there in breathless silence. Having absolutely no response even as he wonders how long Marufuji Ryo has been paying close enough attention to him to realize that.

To realize how similar they really are.


	2. Coda

_Do you think we're going to die here?_

It had been such a simple question, posed softly in the dead of night. A quiet murmur so close to his ear and those big blue eyes of Edo's had been so worried and surprisingly guileless. Almost innocent (which, given every rumour Ryo has ever heard about Edo Phoenix swapped back and forth through the Pro League, innocent is a laughable concept) But there it had been, and Ryo said in response the only thing he could.

_It's possible._

Because it _is_ possible. Hell, it's more than possible and straight into probable that Ryo _will_ die here. His heart lurching and stuttering in his chest more and more by the day, and the only thing keeping him going, he thinks, is that constant search. That one last great duel that Ryo is _positive _lies ahead of him. The big blowout and then, then, it can all come to an end.

And as for Edo...

_You know, you __**could**__ lie to me._

He wishes he had. It's a foolish thought, of course. Lying would have changed nothing. Not one damn thing. Edo would still have dueled. Edo would still have lost. Edo would still have charged blindly ahead, played the hero one too many times and ultimately paid for it.

Edo would still be dead.

_You're not the type to crave a comforting lie any more than I am._

And Ryo wishes he was. Wishes he had gently murmured back, "We're going to be fine." Smiled and closed that inch of space between them and kissed the worry away. Wrapped the both of them up in a warm, comfortable illusion of safety and the vain belief that Everything Will Be Fine.

It would have been _something_. Something to cling to in those last few days before the end.

But neither of them are anything like that sort of person. No matter how much Ryo wishes otherwise.


End file.
